To mist or not to mist?

Gbeats

Member
It's charla's first shed and do I still mist the cage. I did once this morning before I realized she was shedding. But I usually do once in the afternoon as well. I read somewhere it's better to be dry for the day but can't find the source again?
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Petr necas says to not mist, but I'm not sure how much it matters. Lower humidity is probably more important.

What do you do when they get older and dont poof? At some point it might take a month before the tail finishes shedding after the head starts. I guess you could not mist a baby, but i have not seen this in action with chams and beardies. Beardies you just put the whole crew in a bucket with a 1/4" of warm water.
 
What do you do when they get older and dont poof? At some point it might take a month before the tail finishes shedding after the head starts. I guess you could not mist a baby, but i have not seen this in action with chams and beardies. Beardies you just put the whole crew in a bucket with a 1/4" of warm water.

My adult chams were like that, I know what you mean. I didn't really change anything, I just didn't mist more than usual.
 
I don't think the logic of increased misting actually makes any sense.

Chameleons are "dry shedders". The shed skin needs to dry up in order to flake off. Wetting dry skin does not do anything to help the process; instead, it removes the dryness entirely so you have to start over. The wet shed softens and adheres more closely to the body than before (when the whole point is to get it away from the body), then has to dry out again, and then has to manage to flake off.

Besides, there's nothing wrong with adult sheds taking a while. It's how it happens naturally in the wild and it isn't hurting them. Just let biology do its thing, I always think. And James is right, Petr Necas has a very useful little article on how extra misting is bad for shedding. I can't seem to find it right now, but it's well worth a read
 
I agree with mist as usual and if hand misting try not to wet the chameleon. Shedding or not he/she will still need opportunities to drink.
She has a dripper. I did mist the bottom leaves lightly but not as heavily as I usually do. She's all done now and everything came off pretty quickly so I'm happy :)
 
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